Learning to Be Still

You may have heard this verse a time or two, but here I am writing again and using it as my topic.

This verse was the basis of our lesson at Chapel yesterday at UMHB. We had the honor of having Ben Davies, best known for the movie Courageous, come speak to us and his words were very applicable to my life and the lives of others.

Mr. Davies spoke of his life as a talented Olympic-bound athlete that faced many challenges throughout his sport- such as painful injuries. He ended up attending college on an athletic scholarship due to his hard-work & God given talent, but his previous struggles with fitting in cause him to make certain choices and hang out with people who weren’t helping his walk with Christ. He told us that one day, when things seemed to be going well, he obtained another injury- this one was career-ending. He felt lost, being an Olympic athlete was what he had been dreaming of for so long and now those dreams were ripped away. Now Davies was unsure of what to do and realized he needed to make some changes. He broke down and prayed, recognizing that God has a plan and he need only to be still and listen.

With this closed door, however, Christ led to a new one. Mr. Davies was offered an audition for a lead role in the Christian film, “Courageous,” and got the part. He is now a well-established actor in Christian films. God gave him a new platform and allows him to impact lives through his movie roles and his public speaking appearances. I’m really thankful that he took the time to come speak to us at UMHB because I think his story is very relatable to college students who are stressed and often do not know what they are doing or if what they’re majoring in is the “right choice.” This particularly resonates with me because so many of my classmates seem to be dead-set on or know 100% that the degree they’re pursuing is what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but I often find myself in a place of doubt. Doubting whether or not I’ll be good at this career, if it’s what God has planned for me, etc. Mr. Davies’ story reminded me that I need to be still and trust that God will show me the way, and I’m working on it.

I wanted to mention this also for high school students- especially seniors. I was in your shoes only a year ago and I know the struggles you’re faced with from SAT/ACT scores, admission essays, college applications, scholarships, the works. I will tell you that my senior year was the best year of high school, but also they hardest. I struggled so much with not being good enough, studying and working so hard to raise my eat scores the ten points I needed to get larger scholarships, staying up all night writing essays for over 50 scholarships, trying to understand statistics, decide a college major, etc., BUT I did, however, pray often and I knew 100% that I was meant to attend the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. I can’t explain how I knew, but I could feel it & I truly just knew. God absolutely led me here, and all it took was me being still and giving this place a chance by visiting it at nursing camp following my junior year of high school, when I somehow (and by somehow, I mean the work of God) got to be one of the 18 accepted applicants. While I kept struggling to figure out how I was going to pay for school, God brought upon opportunities and options for the future to give me rest and make attending this amazing school possible. I’ve been here for a little over 2 weeks and I’m already a better person.

Sorry for rambling, but I just want you to know, no matter what you’re going through or how lost you are, don’t try to figure it out yourself. Be still and know he is God, and trust him to give you peace and guidance. Send me a message if you have any further questions or prayer requests, I’d be happy to pray for you! That being said, I pray that we all learn how to be still, because I know it’s not easy, but it’s necessary and so beneficial.

Until next time, friends..

God Bless you,

Xoxo Cassie

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Published by Cassie Allred

Hey y'all, I'm Cassie and I love talking about Jesus, drinking coffee, traveling the world & dancing. Striving towards earning a BS in nursing. Let me know how I can pray for you! :)
View all posts by Cassie Allred